Bicycle-lock.



Patented NOV. l9, l90l.

C. HUSCHER.

BICYCLE LOCK.

(Application filed Mar. 1, 1901.)

(N0 Model.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HUSCHER, OF GOLDEN, COLORADO.

BICYCLE-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,940, dated November19, 1901.

Application filed March 1, 1901.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES HUSCHER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Golden, in the county of Jefferson and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBicycle-Locks and the Like; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to thecharacters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in bicycle-locks and the like, myobject being to provide a lock structure carried by the bicycle-frameand forming a portion thereof, the locking parts being simply,conveniently, and compactly arranged and being concealed in andprotected by one of the frame-tubes, the said lock being simple inoperation and firmly locking the bicycle when operated.

To these ends and also to improve generally upon devices of the natureindicated, my invention consists in the various matters hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a portionof a bicycle provided with the present lock. Fig. 2 is a sectionalelevation thereof, the cover for the locking-casing being removed. Fig.3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the parts shown in Fig. 2 andtaken at right angles to the plane of said former figure. Fig. 4 is aperspective View of the lock-casing, the cover being removed. Fig. 5 isa perspective view of the lock-casing cover, the key-barrel being shownpartly in section; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a bicycle,showing the present lock applied to the steering-head. Fig. 7 is across-section on line 7 7, Fig. 2.

The present lock is designed to be carried in one of the frame-tubes ofthe bicycle and to engage some appropriate movable part of the machineto lock the same against movement. As illustrated in the first fivefigures of the drawings, the lock is carried in the seat-post tube 1 ofthe machine-frame and locks the crank-axle 2 against movement, saidcrank axle having suitable peripheral reeesses 3 to receive thelocking-bolt. A cas- Serial No. 49,472. (No model.)

ing A is provided for the locking parts, said casing having circular endpieces a, adapted to fit within the machine-tube which carries the lock,and to these end pieces or heads are attached side plates at and a backor base plate a A removable cover A, having a front plate a and sideplates at, is provided for the said casing. The side plates (1 extendonly a relatively short distance around the peripheries of the heads a,the side plates a of the cover being of corresponding size, and as theback plate a and front plate a are merely fiat plates connecting theseside plates the lock-casing with the cover in place is a narrow boxconnected to the enlarged heads for positioning said box in theframetube. The upper face of the base-plate be ing in substantialalinement with the periphery of the opening in the casing-head, thelocking-bolt can merely rest upon said baseplate and slide through saidopening. The said casing can be secured to the tube in any suitablemanner, and it is here shown as socured by screws 00, passing throughthe machine-tube and also through the side plates of the casing, suchconstruction permitting the present device to be readily applied tomachines of common construction by any mechanic. If desired, the cover Acan extend over only a portion of the length of the body of the casingA.

Within the casing is the locking-bolt B, having the rounded bolt proper,b, atits lower end, while at the upper end of said bolt proper an ofisetis provided, the body portion 6 of said locking-bolt then extending as aflat bar. This offset construction permits the bolt proper to becentered within the casing, while the body portion is thrown to one sideto make room for the hereinafter-mentioned keybarrel and to permitproper movement of the key. Elongated slots 1) through the body portion1') have posts a extending through them, said posts being used to securethe body portion and top of the casing together and also serving asguides for the locking-bolt, while lugs 0, upon the base-plate of theeasing receive between them and guide the bolt proper, b, the free endof said bolt working through a central opening a in the lowercasing-head. A collar 1) about the bolt at an appropriate point preventssaid bolt from being unduly projected through the casinghead and alsoserves as a bearing for a spiral spring I), which encircles the boltproper and engages said collar 19 and the lugs a", said spring thustending to force the bolt into locking position. The locking-bolt Bslides upon the back plate of the casing, and at its upper portion inone of its side faces has a notch b adapted to receive the key foroperating the same. Suitable tumblers C are pivoted upon the upper posta said tumblers being fiat plates which lie on top of the lockin g-boltover the key-notch b and each tumbler is provided near its free end Witha slot 0, having a straight face along the side corresponding to theface of the bolt provided with the key-notch, while from the ends of theopposite side of said slot small angular slots 0 extend,these angularslots being adapted to receive a lug b suitably formed upon the face ofthe bolt adjacent to the tumblers, said lug being slidable in the slot0. A spring 0 suitably attached to the tumblers and bearing against apost a upon the base-plate of the casing, tends to throw the free endsof the tumblers outwardly-11. e., in the position in which the bolt-lugrests in the angular slots. This post a also connects with the cover A.Preferably a Washer 11 about the lower post a lies between thelocking-bolt and the cover-plate, this washer being of a thicknesscorresponding to the combined thickness of the tumblers, and thusserving to steady the bolt in its movements.

Upon theEbase-plate of the casing, at the outer side of the locking-boltand sufliciently removed from said bolt to permit free sliding movementof the latter, is a perforated lug a", through which operates a push-rodD, whose outer end extends through a perforation a in the side plate ofthe casing A, said rod having its inner end adjacent the outer edges ofthe tumblers G and being normally forced outwardly and away from saidtumblers by means of a spiral spring d, which encircles the said rod andhas its inner end engaging said lug a, while its outer end engages a pin(1, extending through the push-rod. This pin d also engages the sideplate of the cover, and thus prevents the rod being thrown too faroutwardly. A guard D, slightly higher than the projecting rod-head, isattached to the frame-tube and surrounds said head, whereby the rod isguarded from accidental engagement.

After the above-mentioned parts have been assembled and secured in theframe-tube a key-barrel E is inserted through a suitable opening in theframe-tube and through a threaded opening in the front plate of thecover A, said barrel having exterior threads 6 at its outer end, whichengage the threads of the before-mentioned coverplate opening. Akey-guide E is contained in said barrel and has its point resting in anopening a in the base-plate of the casing A. At a suitable 1 point ofthe barrel-wall is an inwardly-projecting lug e, which serves to preventthe rotation of a key not having a slot corresponding to said lug. Byvarying the size and location of this lug and by suitably varying theouter faces of the tumblers C it is manifest that a great number ofcombinations can be produced, thus making it possible to provide eachlock with a key of a distinct shape without altering the operativearrangement of the parts of the lock. An appropriate escutcheon F can beattached to the frame-tube about the outer end of the key-barrel.

When the parts are in unlocking position, the locking-bolt is raised andits lug b rests in the upper angular slots in the tumblers, said boltbeing thus securely held in the position indicated. To lock the wheel,the rod D is pushed inwardly by the operator, and thus the tumblers arerocked inwardly, carrying the upper angular slots away from the lug ofthe locking-bolt and bringing the slot 0 in alinement with said lug. Thebolt-operating spring b then shoots the bolt into looking position toengage one of the recesses in the crank-shaft of the machine, and thepush rod D having meanwhile been released the tumbler-operating springsthrow the free ends of the tumblers outwardly to bring the lower angulartumbler-recesses about the bolt-lug, thus securing the bolt in lockingposition, from which position the parts can be moved only by use of thekey which pushes back the tumblers and engages and lifts the bolt, thesaid tumblers being released and engaging the bolt-lug in their upperangular notches after the bolt has been raised. The key is therefore notneeded to effect the locking movement of the boltgalthough it can beused for this purpose, if desired or necessary, as by reason of damageto the push-rod.

In Fig. 6 the lock is shown as contained in the lower forward frame-tube10, the bolt entering a suitable hole 11 in the steering-head 12 of themachine. This notch is so placed that the steering-Wheel is turned topermit the lock to engage the steering-head, and, manifestly, with thesteering wheel thus locked at an angle a bicycle cannot be convenientlyrolled or ridden away by an unauthorized person.

The present lock is simple in its construction and applicable to anybicycle of usual construction. Its parts are compactly arranged andeasily operated, and when the parts are thrown into operative positionthe bicycle is securely locked. The operating parts are concealed in andprotected by the frame tube, and the lock thus serves to strengthen saidtube. The visible parts present a neat and attractive appearance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the nature indicated, a locking-bolt, means fornormally forcing the same outwardly, a tumbler pivoted at one end andprovided with a part engaging a suit able part upon said bolt to holdthe said bolt in unlocking position, and a push-rod under the control ofthe operator and adapted to be thrust transversely against one edge ofsaid tumbler to cause the same to swing and release the bolt.

2. In a device of the nature indicated, a casing having heads adapted tofit a receiving-tube and thus position said casing therein, one of saidheads having an opening therethrough, a base-plate between said heads,guiding-lugs upon said base-plate, a perforated lug upon saidbase-plate, side plates upon said base-plate, a cover for said casinghaving a front plate and side plates thereon, a looking-bolt slidablealong said base-plate between said guiding-lugs and at the side ofWitnesses:

RAYMOND H. SORELL, FRED L. BROWN.

